Earthquaking

I'm in Auckland, but I'm umming and arring thinking if I should head home to see all my family and friends. So far have heard from almost all of them though, so good.

Love getting text messages more than ever and fb has been brill too.
linds22011-02-23 12:07:32

Partner, Daughter and I were just leaving Bush Inn carpark when it hit yesterday. I honestly thought the car was going to roll over and the shaking just took forever to stop. We could see a lady through the window of the liquor store holding onto the counter for her life.. 

I live around the QE2 side of town... I was outside during start of the quake and dog escaped so spent about 10 seconds of the quake running down the street. Still got no water / power but am alot better of than alot of other people. hope other peple out there in chch r alright

Getting a bit worried about the grandparents. They're alive and all. But they're not coping too well, and their house is a bit damaged. Understand we're not supposed to head down there, but I really want to go and help them.

I also have a several family members including a nana and a fellow feverite who are without a house at the moment but traffic on the roads here will only serve to get in the way of emergency vehicles. There is nothing wrong with coming to Chch SH just be aware that depending on where your family is you might not be able to reach them anyway

By all means go down to Christchurch if you have a plan. Probably best waiting until volunteer organisations are able to get coordinated. Just stay out of the central city - sightseers are hindering the rescue efforts. That can not be stressed enough.

There are plenty of ways you can help without going down: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10708187

I hope everyone down in Canterbury is alright, please know the country is there for you and is feeling your pain.

There's�a website where you can report any available services (open petrol stations and�supermarkets etc) and/or check if any of these are available in your area (it's not official, it's run by volunteers):

http://www.1-dayout.co.nz/products/1O113EB8A

Beat me to it! These guys are doing a great job, nearly 100k already. Get in people...least we can do!

Give some claret boys and girls!
http://www.nzblood.co.nz/

Just know that if there is anything we can do to help - just ask. If you need to get away from the city for a bit I'm sure there is someone on this forum that can accommodate you in the short term. Best of luck.

If anyone wants to help keep the www.eq.org.nz site updated let me know and I can point you in the right direction.


Also; I'm in Thorndon - if anyone needs a lift to or from the airport let me know... I've only got a wee car but more than happy to help.



Stay strong people - and please look after yourselves too.

West Melton petrol station is open to EMERGENCY SERVICES ONLY if you could put that on eq.org.nz as a few people may be trying to get out that way with SH1 being jammed up. Last night was the first night I spent in my house since the quake as we stayed with inlaws the night before, I live about 20 minutes south of Hornby, which is the outer most suburb on SH1, and normally from my back door step at 4am when I leave for work I can see Chch lit up almost like mid sunrise, however this morning it was almost pitch black except for the lights from Hornby/Sockburn area which has power. Very unsettling.

Alright hear is my story. I have a Canadian friend (Holly) who move to New Zealand about 3 weeks ago.  She�s been travelling around since arriving and got to Chch the morning of the quake.  She was meant to catch a plane to Auckland for a job interview on Tuesday at 3pm.  Think she was in a caf� waiting for the shuttle to pick her up when it hit.  Thankfully she managed to get out and started wondering to the airport.  Obviously it was closed when she got there so she went searching for some accommodation.  As the rooms were booked out she spend the night on the floor in the lobby. Apparently the hotel owners were awesome and provide dinner and lunch.

 

She managed to get an air force plane to wellington yesterday at about 5pm to Wellington, as I�d offered her a place to stay.  She meet a couple of other people while on the plane (an aussie and a brit who had just arrive from aus).  Obviously they wanted to GTO of the country so when I picked up Holly we hung around to make sure they were ok.  Air NZ announced they had a 11pm flight to Auckland, while Qantas had closed their customer service centre at the airport).  So we queued for about 45 mins to get a ticket to Auckland in the hope to get a flight to aus this morning.  By this stage it was about 7pm so I offered to take them to my flat for a shower and a meal of fish and chips.  They managed to book some tickets to Sydney online before I dropped them back at the airport.

 

Utter craziness.

Jag2011-02-24 09:37:57

If you need Yellow and Black oven gloves talk to KiwiHatter but get your pinny on.

 

MMMMM CAKE!

 

I'm organising an event for Wellington people to show their support to the people of Christchurch, in wake of the events that occurred.

I'm proposing to the people of Wellington to participate in 'The Great Sunday Bake Off', this Sunday 27th of February. This is where people all around the Wellington region can bake their favourite treat. On Monday the 28th of February from 7am to 9am, people can drop their baking off down at the Civic Square in Wellington for collection. From there a friend and I will take all the supplied baking and travel down to Christchurch, that day, to deliver to the people in need. These people are the ones who may have been displaced, have lost a love one or still remain in shock and are extremely frightened.

The objective of the baking you may ask. 'baking', as my nana always said, 'brings a smile to people's faces!' If we can do that for the people of Christchurch then I think we've made a difference. I just need a little favour... make this go viral, so start telling friends and family! We need heaps and heaps of baking! Check-out the website: www.thegreatsundaybakeoff.org.

If you can do some baking and even donate some supplies that would be great too!

Hard News2011-02-24 10:43:50

donated a couple of hundey to red cross, guess all else I can do is offer a bed if anyone needs it.

Any other situation I'd think News had an alterior motive but this is a fantastic initiative.

St Johns bar are donating a dollar a drink.... I've spent the last two hours donating 7/8 bucks and am perhaps a little fried I reckon!

Will donate more tomorrow

As I am a female i feel obliged to join in this. I'll see how much I can get done.

Don't be afraid to donate some beers, we are in short supply as it happens 

I wonder if the 'powers that be' would consider an end of season charity match - e.g. Phoenix vs Team Wellington, or similar - proceeds to Christchurch E/Q fund ?

Donated money today. Hope you're all safe. iF you come to Dunedin then i'l buy you a drink

Had a speaking/presentations event that I helped run yesterday, we raised $250 in door donations for the Mayoral fund.

If anyone has any information you want to get out to the masses - either in Christchurch or New Zealand, feel free to email me to see what I can do: [email protected]

Good to hear so many of you are donating!

Donated money yesterday after learning that blood was no longer required. Feel helpless, just feel I need to do something. A mate flew down to see family (who are all fine) today and has been shovelling all day. He said you feel sh*t standing still for a second. The kiwi way I guess. Loving everyone's efforts to help out the people down there. Keep it up. Still holding on to hope of more survivors overnight...

Just watched NHK News (Japanese).  Obviously, a massive story.  They even built a scaled replica in the studio of the CTV building to explain things.  Wish the Japanese rescue team had arrived earlier.  Just saying, they don't f**k around, that's all.

Japanese have a lot of experience at earthquakes I suppose. The rain is really coming down here 20 min south of Chch, those who are stuck in their houses due to liquifaction are going to be in for a tough time, especially if their roof is leaking.

Yep, donated yesterday as well.

there goes my census job! They have cancelled the Census! bloody hell, first time since WWII

Me to. Not unhappy about it though. Was out delivering on Tuesday evening from about 5, and I felt quite uncomfortable knocking on peoples doors, and this is all the way up in the Waikato.

seeing faces and names of the deceased on the herald website makes it all the more real

Was that not obvious on Tuesday?